Improvement in window-blind fastenings



UNITED Y STATES PATENT .Erica W. B. BABNABD, OF VVATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

- IMPROVEMENT lN WINDOW-BLIND FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 36,596, dated October 7, 1862.

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W. B. BARNARD, of Waterbury, in the county ot" New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for Window Shutters and Blinds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Figure l is an inner View of a pair-of window-blinds with my invention applied to them. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the-same, taken in the line x x, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line yy, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The invention has for its object the preventing of the rattling of the shutter or blind under the action of the wind.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A A represent the lower parts of two window-blinds, which may be secured to the window frame or casing by hinges B in the ordinary way.

B B represent two metallic tubes, which may be of cylindrical form externally throughout or cylindrical at their ends, as shown at ax in Fig. 2. The inner ends of these tubes B B are each provided with a ange or plate, C, which abut against the inner surfaces of the blinds when the tubes B B are adj usted therein, holes being bored entirely through the blinds to receive the tubes, which are retained in proper position by screws a, which pass through the flanges or plates C into the blinds. The ends ax of the tubes B B tsnugly in the holes in the blind, so as to prevent any play or working of the former in the latter. The tubes may be cast in a single piece or in two parts connected together in any proper way. The latter mode may be preferable in admitting of the catches or fastenings being secured in the tubes with greater facility.

D D represent the catches or fastenings, which are iitted in the tubes B B. The catch D, which is secured in the tube B, is composed of two parts, b c, each being a lever, the fulcrum-pins cl of which are within the tubes or pass through them. Near the outer end of each lever b c thereis a notch or recess, e, and the inner ends of the levers overlap and are kept in contact by a spring, f, which bears against the lever b. The notches e of these levers are outside of the tubes, and they catch over or on stationary projections g, one attached to the building to hold the blinds open and the other attached to the window-sill gx to hold the blinds in a closed state, the latter posit-ion of the blinds being shown in Fig. 3 in color, while the open position of one blind is shown in red outline.

By this arrangement of the tubes and catches it will be seen that the fastenings may be applied to the shutters or blinds with the greatest facility, as all that is required is simply to bore a hole through the blind, insert the tube in it, and screw the flange or plate C thereto. No

mortising is required to be done, and there will be no openings exposed to receive moisture, which soon causes the wood to decay. The shutter or blind also will not be injured or cut away as much as is necessary in applying the ordinary fastenings.

In the tube B a single catch, D', is shown. Both of the catches I) D, however, are old, and have been previously used, but vapplied in the old Way by mortising holes in the shutter or blind to receive them. The double catch Dis preferable on account of preventing the closed shutter or blind being opened fromthe outer side.

The projection g, to which the catch D attaches itself, and which is secured to the sill gx, has a horizontal tube, h, attached to it, in which a rod, E, is placed, having a spiral spring, t', around it, and so arranged as to cause the rod Eto press against the blind when the latter is closed, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. This pressure of the rod E against the blind eft'ectually prevents all play or rattling of the same under the action of the wind, as it keeps the notch or recess e in the lever c bearing snugly against its projection g.

I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement of the pressure-rod E, as herein shown and described, as it may be modified in various ways and the same end attained. It, for instance, might be applied to the blind and made to press against the sill and effect the same result.

The tubes B B serve as bearings for the catches D D and prevent them moving beyond a certain distance. The springs 'of the catches therefore cannot be strained by undue tension-a contingency which otherwise might ensue.

I do not claim the catches D D separately or in themselves considered, for they have been previously used; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment or use, in connection With a shutter or blind fastening, of a. pressure-rod applied either to the window-sill or to the shutter or blind, to operate as and for the purpose herein set forth.

WM. B. BARNARD.

Witnesses:

C. F. GOODWIN, JOHN W. PAUL. 

